17 hours following the uninhibited opening of nightclubs and the British government have dropped another bomb on the industry that, alongside travel, has struggled the most during the Covid pandemic.

Speaking from home in isolation this evening, Boris Johnson said that "Nightclubs need to do the socially responsible thing and make use of the NHS Covid Pass as a means of entry." Apart from the tone of this admission, which makes it sound as if nightclubs had prior knowledge of the u-turn and have been childishly uncooperative, CEO of Night Time Industries Association Michael Kill had further qualms with the announcement:

"The announcement from the Prime Minister that Covid passports will be made mandatory for night clubs in September comes after his Health Secretary said only one week ago that they would not be compulsory. What an absolute shambles.”

“Leaving aside the fact that this is yet another chaotic u-turn that will leave night clubs who have been planning for reopening for months will now have to make more changes to the way they operate – this is still a bad idea. 80% of nightclubs have said they do not want to implement covid passports, worrying about difficulties with enforcing the system and a reduction in spontaneous consumers, as well as being put at a competitive disadvantage with pubs and bars that aren’t subject to the same restrictions and yet provide similar environments" he added.

"The Government’s own report into vaccine passports found they were more trouble than they’re worth – so what could possibly explain the about turn, just as millions across the UK experience their first taste of a night out in a year and a half…?”